Defining Unit of ILM Sold

Variety this morning reported the sad news that the now-underused physical production unit of Lucasfilm's Industrial Light and Magic is being sold off to Mark Anderson, a long-time ILM employee. While ILM will continue to exist and do copious effects work, the loss of the physical production unit is striking because it was that unit, and the models and miniatures it made for Star Wars, that put ILM on the map. According to Variety, though, "With the shift to digital effects, Lucasfilm has found it difficult to keep that portion of the company fully employed."

Under Anderson's guidance, the unit will be renamed Kerner Optical and will remain ILM's first choice for any work in which they specialize. In addition, Anderson hopes the new company will be able to "pick up the slack by seeking work that ILM would not get."